OldElkHunter1961
Well-Known Member
I live at 5300' and hunt from sea level to about 8500' routinely. At ranges under ~500 yards I see no practical or meaningful difference in trajectory/POI. Were I varmint hunting I might think differently.
Exactly!You're within 1.1" at 500. I wouldn't worry too much about it. That being said, you should always shoot a couple to verify before your first hunt each season anyway... especially when traveling.
I am assuming you are paying a guide, etc. It would be a shame to take the time and $ to hunt there and blow a shot on a good animal because your scope was off.
If a guided hunt, check with your guide on if you can do that.I'll zero on site if possible but sometimes I don't bother. I make ballistic charts on site when I arrive with my kestrel and slap em on the rifles.
Us guys over analyze everything. It is in our DNA. You ever read some of these guy's reloading procedures? Bows, guns, shop equipment, home renovations, tools... we can start a 168 page thread on: "What is the best tire pressure gauge?"I don't mean this as a slap on anyone, but funny how we went up and down mountains and killed stuff before we had ballistic calculators. And I tend to be a little over analytical in the off-season as well.
that is exactly what i do. i have 3 sets of data for my 28 because off diff altitudes where i hunt in africa. i have my info for 2k, 4 k, 6k.Hello everyone,
I am trying to figure out my rifle/scope hunting setup for mule deer this year and my question is how do most of you sight in your rifle for a new place without actually going there to shoot? I live in Minnesota with an elevation of 1360 and will be hunting Pine Ridge, Nebraska with an elevation of 3241. I was thinking I would use the Strelok ballistic app because it let's me zero the rifle for Minnesota but then gives me a table for Nebraska when I enter their information.
When I compare the tables now it reads something like.....
200 yd. NE .34. MN 0
300yd. NE 2.71 MN 2.15
400yd. NE 5.46 MN 4.64
500yd. NE 8.53 MN 7.41 ....all in MOA
Would you guys just sight it in for Minnesota and then use the Nebraska table when it comes time? Or do I have to re-zero it in Nebraska?
I think his concern wasn't about scope bump etc but about the zero changing due to location. Worth checking zero due to travel but area/state won't change anything worth noting. Angle compensation is easy to account for with an app or lrf with ballistics but those using charts frequently forget to compensate and often don't even know how. Doing math in your head under strain has to be practiced so it's a good food thought you've thrown out there.The best precaution when hunting out of state is to find an area to check your zero before leaving to hunt. I really don't care how much or how little your shooting App lists your ranges and compensation. Stuff happens and checking your zero allows you the confidence of shooting your game properly. Even if you are sent off to the rock quarry for the sight in.
As an aside to changing altitudes and hunting where the altitudes can change frequently, you might also refresh yourself on shooting uphill and downhill. I've watched in awe when a hunter shoots under or over a large animal when shooting up or down a hill (mountain). The area I elk hunt varies from 4,500 to 9,500 with almost no opportunities to shoot across meadows. Yes I do work with up and down shots. It makes a difference.
Enjoy!